Portadown are back in Danske Bank Premiership action tomorrow afternoon (Sat 8 October) when we take on Ballymena United at the Showgrounds, kick off 3pm.

Both teams exited the League Cup on Tuesday evening to Dungannon Swifts & Coleraine respectively while in Premiership matters Portadown come into the game off the back of a 1-1 draw with Mid-Ulster rivals Glenavon last Friday evening while Ballymena’s game against Glentoran on the same evening was abandoned at the Oval due to torrential rain – prior to this the Braidmen were beaten 3-0 by Crusaders at Seaview on Friday 23 September.

The last time the two teams met was on 16 April 2022 at the Showgrounds with Ballymena United running out 2-1 winners, Billy Stedman had given the Ports the lead but a Paul McElory penalty and a 81st minute striker from Stephen McCullough secured the 3 points for David Jeffrey’s men.

Ballymena United, like Portadown, are on a poor run of form losing their last five Premiership games and with only one league victory to their name so far this season manager David Jeffrey revealed he offered his resignation to the club after the defeat to Carrick Rangers but was encouraged to stay on after ‘heart to heart’ talks with the board and his players.

During the summer Jeffrey has added David McDaid from Larne, Sean O’Neill from Crusaders, Jordan Gibson from Carrick Rangers, George Tipton from Portadown, Jake Corbett from Linfield and Evan Tweed from Coleraine, with Lee Chapman, Leroy Millar, Jonte Smith, Daniel Bramall and Chris Rodgers all exiting Warden Street.

Portadown secured their first win against Ballymena United since April 2016 and their first win in 13 games with a 1-0 win at Shamrock Park last season thanks to a Adam Salley strike. The Ports last victory over the Braidmen at the Showgrounds came back in April 2016 when goals from Ken Oman and Matty Parker secured a 2-0 victory for the Ports at the Showgrounds in the last game of the 2015/16 campaign.

Ballymena have won twelve of the last fourteen meetings in all competitions between the two clubs while putting the Ports out of the Irish Cup in 2019/20 & 2020/21 & the League Cup in 2017/18 along the way. Another impressive stat David Jeffrey’s men can boast is that they’ve scored four times against Portadown in 4 of their last 6 games at the Showgrounds and have been awarded four penalties in the last six meetings between the clubs at the Showgrounds. The Ports defence will also have to keep an eye on Ballymena United forward and former Portadown player Paul McElroy who has four goals in his last five games against the Ports for the Braidmen.

Portadown captain Paddy McNally gives his thoughts on the match below

The Ballymena game is no doubt a tough away fixture but one we are really looking forward to and we hope to build on a positive performance in the derby last week which on another day we could have won. We’re prepared and ready to go

The officials are – Referee – Evan Boyce / Assistant 1 – David Burns / Assistant 2 – Brian Wilson / 4th official – Declan Hassan

 

Online tickets for todays game against Ballymena United are required and available via the link below

https://www.ballymenaunitedfc.com/tickets/index_away.php

 

Supporters Club Buses travelling:

  • Eden Reds – Departing Gary’s Bar at 1:30pm
  • Shamrock Reds – Departing Shamrock Park at 1:30pm
  • PFC Travel Club – Departing Shamrock Park at 1:30pm & JD Tiplers at 1:45pm
  • Richhill Reds – Departing the Square at 1:10pm & Shamrock Park at 1:25pm

 

Form (LAST FIVE PREMIERSHIP GAMES – MOST RECENT GAME LAST)

  • Ballymena United – L, L, L, L, L (10th in DBP)
  • Portadown –  L, L, L, L, D (12th in DBP)

 

Last Five Head to Head (All competitions)

  • Saturday 16 April 2022 – Ballymena United 2 (McElroy (p), McCullough) Portadown 1 (Stedman)
  • Saturday 12 March 2022 – Portadown 1 (Salley) Ballymena United 0
  • Saturday 1 January 2022 – Ballymena Utd 4 (Winchester, Parkhouse x2, Redman) Portadown 0
  • Saturday 16 October 2021 – Portadown 0 Ballymena United 1 (McGrory)
  • Saturday 29 May 2021 – Ballymena Utd 4 (McCartan, Hume, Keeley, Harpur) Portadown 2 (Croskery, Warde)

 

Last Five Head to Head at the Showgrounds (All competitions)

  • Saturday 16 April 2022 – Ballymena United 2 (McElroy (p), McCullough) Portadown 1 (Stedman)
  • Saturday 1 January 2022 – Ballymena Utd 4 (Winchester, Parkhouse x2, Redman) Portadown 0
  • Saturday 29 May 2021 – Ballymena Utd 4 (McCartan, Hume, Keeley, Harpur) Portadown 2 (Croskery, Warde)
  • Tuesday 27 April 2021 – Ballymena United 4 (McElroy x2, Waide, McCartan (p)) Portadown 1 (Bonis)
  • Saturday 13 March 2021 – Ballymena United 2 (McCartan, McElroy (p)) Portadown 1 (Wilson)